Pejic, Singh earn 1st wins in NSU’s 6-1 loss to UNCG

Igor Braga

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Freshmen newcomers Antonio Pejic and Fatehdeep Singh won their first matches in an NSU uniform during the Norfolk State tennis team’s 6-1 loss to UNCG on Sunday afternoon at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center.

Pejic gave the Spartans their lone point of the day with a win at No. 3 singles. After dropping the first set to Cameron Smith by a 6-2 score, he rallied to win the second set, 7-6, including a 7-3 victory in the tiebreaker. Then in the deciding third set, Pejic won the tiebreaker 10-6 to earn his first victory in just the second match of his career.

Singh, also competing in his second career match, teamed up with senior Daniel Grauel to pick up a victory at No. 2 doubles. The duo defeated Smith and William Albright, 8-5.

The loss dropped NSU’s record to 1-7 overall, while UNCG improved to 2-1.

Pejic and senior Pascal Domnik gave it a ride before losing 8-6 at No. 1 doubles to Randy Phillips and Connor Thompson. In the third doubles contest, seniors Igor Braga and Shaheed Mourillon-Swift fell by an 8-4 score to James Gray and Logan Walker.

Domnik played a tightly contested first set with Phillips at No. 1 singles. Phillips came away with a 9-7 win in the tiebreaker to win that first set, 7-6. He then had an easier time in the second in a 6-1 victory over Domnik.

Braga, meanwhile, dropped the second singles match to Daniel Mack via a 6-2, 6-4 score. At No. 4 singles, Singh dropped a 6-3, 6-2 matchup to Gaston Murray. In last two matches, Grauel fell 6-3, 6-3 to Thompson at the fifth position, and Albright swept Mourillon-Swift, 6-0, 6-0, at the No. 6 position.

Both Spartan tennis teams will be back in action on Feb. 16 against Hampton. The match will begin at 8:45 p.m. at the Centre Court Racquet Club.